Combined table and bench.



A. E. MACDONALD- GOMBINED TABLE AND BENCH. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1910.

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APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1910 1,01 6,841 Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

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ANGUS E. MACDONALD, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

COMBINED TABLE AND BENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

Application filed November 30, 1910. Serial No. 594,867.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, ANoUs E. MACDON- ALD, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Combined Tables and Benches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined table and bench, the object of the invention being to provide an article of this character wherein folding leaves are connected with each other for angular adjustment and the provision of brace elements which operate to hold the-leaves in their adjusted position.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views: Figure 1 is a perspective view of my combined table and bench showing the leaves adjusted for use as a bench. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the leaves adjusted for use as a table. Fig. 3 is a detail section through a portion of the combined table and bench, parts being shown in full lines. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the leaves adjusted for use as a bench. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a portion of the combined table and bench. Fig. 6 is a detail front view thereof. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the retaining element. Fig. 8 is a plan view of one of the supporting members for the inner leaf. Fig. 9 is an edge view of the same. Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 8 and illustrating the construction of the supporting member for the outer leaf. Fig. 11 is an edge view thereof. Fig. 12 is a detail section taken on the line 1212 of Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a detail perspective view of the brace supporting plate.

The combined table and bench consists preferably of the uprights 1, which are suitably spaced from each other and which are designed to be secured to a wall or to any other support adjacent to which the article is to be used. Midway between the ends, each of the members 1 is provided with a recess 2, in which a supporting plate 3 is mounted. A cross-bar 4 is arranged horizontally on the wall and is secured in any well known suitable manner to the members 1 at the upper ends thereof.

The inner leaf 5 and the outer leaf 6 are connected with each other by the members 7 and 8. The members 7 for the leaf 5, are secured by the fastening devices 9 to the end edges of the said leaf 5. At the outer ends, the members 7 are formed to provide the offset portions 10 which fit in the recesses 11 in the end edges of the inner leaf and in similar recesses 12 in the outer leaf as shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings. The inner ends of the members 7 are pivotally supported by the pintles 13 to the members 1. The members 8' are secured to the end edges of the outer leaf 6 by the fastening devices 14, and as illustrated, these members are extended at their inner ends somewhat beyond the rear longitudinal edge of the outer leaf, such portion being pivot ally connected with the offset extensions 10 of the members 7. The members 8 have formed integrally therewith substantially web-like lugs 15, which are provided with the ribs 16, to fit the correspondingly formed recesses in the outer leaf. The outer ends of the members 8 are formed to provide simi lar substantially web-like lugs 17, which are provided with vertical plane outer portions 18, which extend upwardly over the front edge of the outer leaf. From the construction described, it will be seen that the said web-like lugs 16 and 17 through their engagement with the outer leaf as described will hold the leaf against retrograde movement or against becoming accidentally disengaged from its fastening devices 14:.

Brace elements 19 are provided for holdmg the leaves in the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings. These brace elements are identical in construction and each comprises an upper member 20 which is pivoted to the car 21 on the members '7 of the inner leaf. The lower ends of the members 20 are pivotally connected with the upper ends of the members 22. The supporting plates 3 on the members 1 are provlded with supporting pintles 23, which are partly surrounded by spacing collars 24.. The pintles 23 extend into correspondingly formed passages in the lower members 22 of the brace elements 19.

Each supporting element 3 is provided with an upper lug 25 and a lower lug 26, which are spaced from each other to permit of the insertion therebetween of the rearwardly extending portions of the members 9 of the outer leaf, when the leaves are folded to assume the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 1 of the drawing. When the outer leaf occupies the position shown in the just named figures, the inner leaf extends forwardly mounted on the members 1.

and rearwardly at an angle to form a supporting ba'eln The members 7 are formed to provide recesses 27 in which the correspondingly formed extremities 28 of the upper members 20 of the brace elements 19 are seated when the leaves are folded to their horizontal positions so as to hold the leaves rigidly connected with each other.

To prevent breakage of the joints of the brace elements '19 when the leaves are folded to their horizontal position, I provide retaining elements 29 'which are pivotally The retaining elements are formed to provide the slots 30 to receive the pivot pins 31 and the slots 32 to engage the keeper pins 33 on the members l. The slots 32 open onto one edge of the members 29 to accommodate the desired pivotal adjustment of the retaining elements. when desired, the elements 29 may be adjusted on the pins 31 and 33 and released from the latter and then turned to lie out of the path of the brace elements. After the brace elements have been adjusted so as to cause the leaves 5 and 6 to occupy a common plane, the elements 29 are adjusted so that their keeper forming extremities 34 are engaged directly behind the lower members 22 of the brace elements. lVhen the 3 0 retaining elements 29 are engaged with the brace elements as just described, the said brace elements will be rigidly supported on V the members 1 and the leaves 5 and 6 will be respectively held in their adjusted posi- 35 t-ions.

As hereinbefore stated, the rear-wardly extending portions of the members 8 fit into the recesses 35, which are formed by the ofiset extremities 10 of the braces 7. The off 4.0 set extremities of the members 7 present has been found a most eflicient construction for the purpose of folding the leaves rigidly and connected together.

From the construction of the combined table and bench described and shown herein, it will be apparent that an extremely novel, useful, and strong and durable article is provided. It is inexpensive to manufacture and it may be conveniently installed without requiring elaborate changes to the wall or like structure with which it is associated.

The inner leaf is provided with supporting members such as the bar 40 shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. This bar is pivoted to the inner leaf 5, as shown at 41, and when in the dotted line position operates to hold the leaves 5 and 6 in a plane with each other. Such supporting members can be folded to lie parallel with the longitudinal edges of the leaf 5 so as to permit the leaf to be folded. When the table is not in use it may be folded to lie against the wall, as is obvious. A I claim:

A combined article of furniture comprising spaced supporting members, a pair of leaves pivotally connected with each other, one of the said leaves being pivotally connected with the said supporting members, edge supporting members carried by each of said leaves, one ofsaid provided with an off-set portion, the other of said members being formed with a rearwardly projected extension adapted to fit in said off-set portion when said leaves are in a horizontal plane, spaced lugs carried by said spaced supporting members, said lugs adapted to be slidably engaged by the rear extension of the said edge members whereby to hold said leaves at an angle to one another.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANGUS E. MACDONALD.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR C. DE CONINoK, BLANOHE G. REID.

Copies ofv this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

